Coving

[Neenaw20]

I am looking for some advise. I am renovating the downstairs of my Edwardian house and have replastered the sitting room stripping out coving and picture rail (It wasn’t original and was bog standard £5 a square metre stuff). The architect thinks we shouldn’t reinstate the coving or the picture rail as the room is small, with lots of corners and it looks too busy/messy. I have an original fireplace and a ceiling rose and they add character but my position has always been that I would put back the coving and picture rail.

The room does look bigger without them and the wall space is much more usable but am worried it will be harsh and that I will miss the period features. I have attached pictures below. What do you guys think? Before and after pictures below

I prefer period properties to have coving and picture rails tbh.

It's the fireplace that's wrong! That's a pretend Louis style modern fire surround and is all wrong in an Edwardian house. You should
Replace it with a much smaller wooden or tiled surround more in keeping with the house. Just google Edwardian fire surround and see what I mean. Also google Louis fire surround and you'll see this exact one for about £150.

@BigusBumus

I prefer period properties to have coving and picture rails tbh.

It's the fireplace that's wrong! That's a pretend Louis style modern fire surround and is all wrong in an Edwardian house. You should
Replace it with a much smaller wooden or tiled surround more in keeping with the house. Just google Edwardian fire surround and see what I mean. Also google Louis fire surround and you'll see this exact one for about £150.

I think the house had been through the wars (metaphorically) before the last owner purchased. Cheap aluminium windows had replaced the original sash, all fireplaces, floorboards and features stripped. The last owner reinstated the windows, wood floors and fireplaces albeit not necessarily a perfect match for the property. I like the fireplace as it definitely has a wow factor when you walk in and is great when you have a cold night and a fire going. I have the original fires in the bedrooms.

I agree with you re period properties needing to have period features but how many features are too many features in a small room? 😬

How high are the ceilings?

If they are high, I'd put the coving back. If not leave it off.

We are renovating an Edwardian house at the moment and have just bought new coving but that is sympathetic to the period. There is a formula to follow ie ceiling height relating to height or drop of the coving to ensure it looks in proportion.

It's a personal choice but I would expect coving in a period house; it was the first thing I noticed was missing when we viewed the house. It makes rooms look 'finished'.

I agree with PP on the fire, it's out of proportion to the chimney breast and make the room look smaller. I'd be tempted to put coving back but think picture rail as well would make the room look a little cramped

I would definitely put coving up. I think it finishes off a room and gives it character. There is so much choice in styles now, I would go with something simple if you are worried about it over-whelming the room. With the picture rail it's hard to tell from the pictures how tall the room is, I would only put them back up if you really like them.

I would go coving too.

Love the fireplace!

Thanks all. Looks like it is a unanimous ‘put the coming back up’. I’ll tell the builder. And I’ll leave the picture rail off.

Appreciate the feedback. I never appreciated how many small decisions i’d need to make during the renovation and my mind is blown at this point. I just want them to finish 😂

@LolaSkoda

I would go coving too.

Love the fireplace!

Thank you. I am sucker for a large fire on a cold day and it is rather lovely (if out of proportion. )😬

I would go with the coving but something much more original looking. I'd also put the picture rail back but at a higher level than it is in your photo.

Put them back! I hate walls rooms without coving.

Yes coving, no picture rail, and I like the fireplace. It looks Art Deco to me rather than Louis.

The Louis French Classical very ornate fire surround is wrong for your Edwardian house. Edwardian fire surrounds are much simpler, wood, tiled or cast iron, never plaster.

I'm team coving.

Get proper plaster coving and forget the picture rail. And the fire surround is too fussy for the room, but if you like it keep it. You need tallish skirting too.

I prefer coving and picture rails in period properties.
It adds to the character, and originality. X

Also it's your house, he's getting paid so ask him to do as you wish. X

I renovated an Edwardian property and had some damaged coving restored, as well as coving added to two reception rooms that had had it removed. It looked great - I found a chap who did it properly using old style plaster coving. If you’re in the northwest I can give you a contact - he was surprisingly inexpensive.

Yes to coving. Yes to picture rail but at a proper height not that weird low position the previous people had put in.

I'd also definitely swap the fireplace, it doesn't match the room and dominates it.

Yes to coving and picture rail (at the right height). I have them on the ground floor of my 1930s mid terrace. I believe they are the originals.

No to the current fireplace surround. You can still have a cosy fire, but with a more tasteful, subdued surround. That's my opinion at least 😊

Also, if you don't reinstate them, won't you have to get rid of the ceiling rose too?

I would reinstate the coving 100% but wouldn’t add the picture rail at the height it was, it would absolutely need to be higher up as it’s just chopping the room. I’m an interior designer and install coving in homes that aren’t period properties with regular height ceilings as I feel it adds an extra touch, in those spaces It never makes it feel small. If you’re unsure on the picture rail you can always add it in at a later date. Have fun with your wallpaper or paint colours!

@WinterAndRoughWeather would you mind sharing his details with me? Always looking for recommendations for tradesman I’m in the northwest too so would be ideal!

Of course - it’s Gazelle Art Plaster, chap’s name is Leo Henry:

www.yell.com/biz/gazelle-art-plaster-manchester-5826469/

I had a 3m section of deep Edwardian coving that needed restoring after a knock through, and two reception rooms that needed coving where they didn’t have any before. Leo quoted less for the whole job than one company quoted for the 3m restoration alone. His work was lovely too.